Improved apparatus for operating submarine batteries



.4 r 441 *4* A l i UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE'.

ISAAC A. KETOHAM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED APPARATU'S FOR OPERATING SUBMARINE BATTERIES.

Specilieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,6511, dated October 14, 1862.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsxAo A. KETCHAM, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Method of Operating Submarine Batteries; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full and exact description of' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a vertical transverse section ot' a vessel with my invention applied. Fig. Zisa horizontal section of the same at x x.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

The subject of myinvcntion is an apparatus by means of which an explosive shell or battery may be projected from the side, bow, or stern of a vessel in -any direction or position under the surface of the water, and exploded while' it is held, or after it has been left beneath an enenlysl vessel or any other object which it,

is desired to destroy.

Io enable others skilled inthe art to which my invention appertains to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents a water-tight casing communieating with the exterior of the vessel through an aperture, which may be closed at will by a water-tight sliding gate, B, operated by an ad- `)'usting-nut, I), or other suitable device.

C is a hollow rod tted and packed to slide through a ball, D,which is so ground orpacked in the side of the casing A as to constitute a Water-tight universal joint.

' E is a man-head secured upon the casing A in customary manner, so as to give access to the interior thereof when needful.

F represents a torpedo explosive shell or battery, of any suitable construction, att-ached to the end of the hollow rod C, somewhat above the latter, so that the said rod may not be driven endwise by the explosion of the shell. For this purpose the shell is provided with a socket, f, fitting upon the end of the rod, and there secured by a spring-catch, G, which is withdrawn at will by means of awire or chain, H, passing through the rod C and attached to a bell-crank, g, or other suitable device connected with the catch Gr.

I is a wire or chainpassing through the rod C and connected to a suitable trigger, primer,

taching the shell F to the rod by means of a screw-thread in the reverse direction to the others the rod may be detached from the shell by unscrewing, instead of by means of the spring-catch. The rod may be run out by means of the block and tackle J, or any other suitable means.

K represents glass windows placed in the side of the casing `A opposite the gate B for the purpose of taking observations beneath the water when the said gate is open.

Fig. l shows the sliding gate Bopen and the battery extended. Fig. 2 shows thesaid gate closed and the battery inboard. The battery should be made somewhat buoyant, so as to support not only its own weight, but a part of that of the rod. The wires or chains HI may, if preferred, pass inboard on the outside of the rod O and chamber A; but this I deem an inferior arrangement.

L is a pipe for the attachment of a pump, by means of which the water within the casingA may be pumped out after closing the gate B.

Operation: Vhen it is desired to destroy an enemys ship or other object, a battery is introduced within the casingA by removingthe man-head E and secured to the end of the rod C. rIhe man-head Eisthentightly closed, the gate B opened, and the rod run out, so as to carry the battery to any position and distance desired, additional sections being screwed onto the hollow rod as is needful. The vessel may then be run into action without any knowledge by the enemyof the position or existence of the lsubmerged battery, and the latter being placed beneath the bottom of the opposing ship, may be there exploded while still held upon therod C; or, if preferred, the rod being first detached from the battery in the manner already explained, the vessel may withdraw to a safe distance, leaving the battery beneath the enemy and exploding it at any moment by means of the wire or chain I. v

The wires or chains By observing through the Windows K the position of the battery may be adj usted with great accuracy.

Suitable guys may be employed to brace the end of the rod against the current' when it is\ extended to a sufficient distance to render it necessary.

Having thus described my invention, I Wish it distinctlyunderstood that I do notlimitmyself to the precise construction or arrangement of parts herein laid down, as it will be inanifest that the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the essential principles of the invention. n

The following is WhatIelaim as new and desire to have secured to Ine by Letters Patent:

l. Advancing a submarine battery and ad- ISAAC A. KETGHAM.

Witnesses:

CHARLES SMITH, OeTAvrUs KNIGHT. 

